Ecology and Diversity of Plants in Arid and Semi-Arid Ecosystems—2nd Edition

Dear Colleagues,

Following the success of the previous Special Issue on the plant ecology of arid and semi-arid ecosystems, we are pleased to announce the launch of the second edition of this Special Issue in Diversity. The first edition received valuable contributions from researchers worldwide, highlighting the importance of understanding plant diversity, ecological adaptations, and conservation strategies in these unique and fragile ecosystems. Building upon these advances, this Special Issue aims to further explore the ecological, physiological, and molecular mechanisms that enable plants to survive and thrive under extreme environmental conditions.

Deserts and semi-arid regions represent some of the most extensive and environmentally challenging ecosystems on Earth, supporting a remarkable diversity of plant species adapted to severe abiotic stresses. These environments are characterized by water scarcity, temperature extremes, salinity, and other environmental constraints that strongly influence plant distribution, growth, and ecosystem functioning. Understanding how plants adapt to these stressors is essential for biodiversity conservation and for predicting ecosystem responses to ongoing climate change.

The resilience of desert plants continues to attract considerable scientific interest. Many species have evolved unique physiological, biochemical, and molecular strategies that allow them to withstand prolonged drought and other environmental pressures. These plants also provide critical ecosystem services, including supporting wildlife, maintaining soil stability, and serving as important resources for local communities. However, many aspects of their adaptive mechanisms and ecological roles remain insufficiently understood.

Recent studies have emphasized the importance of plant functional traits, species interactions, and ecological processes in shaping the diversity and stability of arid and semi-arid ecosystems. Nevertheless, further research is needed to elucidate how plant communities respond to increasing environmental stress and how conservation strategies can effectively protect these vulnerable ecosystems under changing climatic conditions.

In this second edition of the Special Issue, we welcome original research articles, reviews, perspectives, opinions, and modeling studies that address the ecology and diversity of plants in arid and semi-arid ecosystems. We particularly encourage submissions focusing on topics including, but not limited to, desert plant diversity and distribution patterns, plant responses to climate change, functional traits and ecological strategies, physiological and molecular adaptations to abiotic stresses, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem resilience.

This Special Issue aims to continue fostering interdisciplinary research on the complex relationships between plants and their environments. By bringing together advances in ecology, physiology, molecular biology, and conservation science, we hope to further deepen our understanding of arid and semi-arid plant ecosystems and contribute to their long-term protection and sustainable management.

We look forward to receiving innovative contributions from researchers worldwide that will advance knowledge of these remarkable ecosystems and support efforts to conserve their invaluable plant diversity.

Dr. Alexandre Maniçoba da Rosa Ferraz Jardim
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diversity is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• molecular regulation mechanisms
• desert plants
• plant diversity
• biodiversity conservation
• ecological adaptability
• oxidative stress in plants
• biotic and abiotic stress
• arid and semi-arid land
• salinity
• salt stress tolerance